A Generous Donation

Thanks to a generous donation, Wayne Highlands Middle School students can create projects with expensive wood. This year, Technical Education teacher Mr. Griffs has eighth gradersusing their creativity to design and build band saw boxes. The feedback from the students regarding the experience has been incredible.

Chloe Carney, one of Mr. Griffis’s first marking period students, took her band saw box home upon completion to show her family. Christine Rose, Chloe’s mother, contacted Mr. Griffis toexpress her daughter’s love for his class and project. Then, Chloe shared the project with her grandmother JoAnne Shaffer. Chloe’s grandmother was impressed with her woodworking skilland design. She knew Chloe’s grandfather would be so proud of her since he had a love for woodworking. Mrs. Shaffer decided to do something to support the students and her husband’s passion.

A week later, Mr. Griffis received a letter from Ms. Rose stating that Chloe’s grandmother had asignificant amount of hardwood in her barn and that the wood was collapsing. Not wanting thewood to go to waste, Mrs. Shaffer offered to donate the hardwood to the program for thestudents to create beautiful masterpieces.

Mr. Griffis was excited and grateful. He met with Mrs. Shaffer to examine the quality andquantity of wood she was offering. To Mr. Griffis’s surprise, she was donating hundreds of feetof hardwood, mostly black walnut and cherry.

Mr. Griffis explained, “Students usually don’t have an opportunity like this to work with wood of this grade, due to its price. With these woods, students will be able to highlight their talents for years to come at Wayne Highlands Middle School.”

Mr. Griffis, the Middle School, and the students would like to thank Mrs. Shaffer, Chloe’sgrandmother, for supporting the arts program and the students.